Entries from December 31st, 2012

31.12.12

In case you’re like me, and have been spending some time dreaming about what’s ahead in 2013, then here’s a short video you might like. I love looking up at the stars… and this video makes me want to grab a blanket, find a spot on the grass, and spend some time just looking up.

28.12.12

We had a lot of fun in the snow last week, and I’m missing it, so I’m looking forward to taking the boys sledding and to snowboarding lessons next week! I may even strap on some skis myself!

Do you like my attempt at a winter garden? There are six cabbage plants hidden under the snow too, but I’m guessing the likelihood that they are still alive is quite low. It was a lot more fun to run outside and grab kale for my morning shake when it was summertime! Brr!

If you have a moment, be sure to pop over to Rambling Renovators to check out Jen’s “Great Reads 2012″ today. I’m thrilled to be included on her list! Have a great weekend everyone!

This is how the boys looked when they saw Santa this year. I picked them up early from school on the day of the Newtown tragedy, let them choose what they wanted to wear, and spent the afternoon enjoying them. Dressing up just didn’t feel important this year. I’m so happy that today is the start of two weeks off from school!

I want to take a moment to wish you all a wonderful Christmas season. I hope that your holidays are full of love and laughter with your family and friends. I also want to say a big thank you for visiting me here over the last year. I appreciate your comments and support so much!

20.12.12

The first Canadian West Elm Market opens today in Vancouver! I braved the snowstorm to meet up with Abigail Jacobs, from West Elm‘s head office in Brooklyn, for a preview of the new store yesterday, and I’m glad I did! What a great store, and such well curated products! West Elm Market will focus on functional design with a collection of genuine and useful household goods, focusing on four key categories: Kitchen, Garden, Care & Repair and Personal Care. The store features a café in collaboration with neo-traditional coffee roasters La Colombe Torrefaction, (love the big red machine center stage!) and will carry baked goods from local bakery, The Last Crumb. The store is designed to be a place to gather and learn, so there will also be community-driven events and classes held at a communal table in the center of the store.

I’m so happy that they opened up in time for some last minute Christmas shopping! For myself, I bought this set of mixing bowls… since I’ve been looking for a reason to get rid of my old plastic ones, and these are perfect! Beautiful and functional, yes please!

You can find West Elm Market mere steps away from West Elm, at 2915 Granville Street in Vancouver. Let me know when you’re heading there, I’d love to hear what you think!

12.12.12

Here are 5 simple ideas to help bring a little holiday spirit into your decor:

Bring the outdoors in! Whether it’s branches in the fall, or fresh flowers in Spring, bringing plants inside brightens up these winter days. I have three Ikea pots that sit on the windowsill in my kitchen, and every season I swap out the plants inside them. This year I saw some of these Gaultheria plants and fell in love with their pops of red and green!

Think outside the tree. If you have ornaments from holidays’ past, don’t get rid of them just yet… use them to fill a vase and prop up some sticks. Or simply mixed into a bowl of pinecones.

You gotta have faith. Bring some of what makes the holiday season special to you and your family into your home. We are all about Christmas here at our house, and our little wooden nativity scene fits perfectly under our massive star, don’t you think?

Lighten up. Candles, floating in a bowl of fresh cranberries, surrounded by dried rose hip berries, or just placed in your favorite votive… there is no wrong choice at this time of year. And remember, adding a warm glow to your home also casts a very flattering light on your guests when you’re entertaining!

Are you all done decorating for the holidays? I’m all about keeping it simple this year! I’m having to let some things slide that I usually wouldn’t, because I’m finding that my priorities have shifted, and there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do it all. For example, if you usually receive a Christmas card from me, you may get it via email this year, or not at all! I know! How will you ever recover! 😉

10.12.12

I walked into Chapters yesterday and made up for lost time on the Christmas shopping front. Thank goodness! I have been sick for almost FOUR weeks people! My energy is slowly returning and there is MUCH to be done! Please don’t tell me if you’re done and wrapped already. If you are, I’m really happy for you… really. I know how good that feels! I am not there. Yet. But, in the meantime, I thought that I’d share one of my purchases, in case you are looking for ideas too!

I have a confession. I often buy children’s books purely for the pretty pictures. Gasp! Sometimes without even flipping through. Secretly (not so secretly anymore, I suppose) I feel that if a book is well illustrated that the story somehow HAS to be superior. You all agree, right? However misguided, I may be on to something, because the writing in the books is often very clever too! Our boys’ longtime favorite author/illustrator is Oliver Jeffers, with many of his books (Lost & Found, How to Catch a Star, etc) already gracing our shelves. So, when I saw This Moose Belongs to Me sitting on the shelf, it was an obvious choice! At the end of the day, when I get to cuddle up and read stories with the boys, the designer in me is happy that the boys love the “pretty pictures” as much as the story they are telling.

Do you have a favorite author/illustrator? Have you bought any fun books for your kids this year? If so, please share!

04.12.12

Last year my oldest came home from school with a pinecone ornament for our Christmas tree. I loved the look of the white painted tips, and wanted to add a lot more of them onto the tree this year! So, I collected some over the last year, and tonight we spent some time painting the tips of pinecones!

This is truly the easiest DIY ever! All you need is:

Paint, watered down until it’s thinner so that it doesn’t get clumped in the tiny spaces.

Paintbrush

Pinecones, the sturdier the better!

Ribbon. I think a thin shimmery ribbon is nice, but some twine, or even string would look good.

Do you add pinecones into the decorating mix at your house in the fall and winter seasons? Have you painted them before? Next I’d like to try dipping some pinecones to look like these ones (above) by Jessica Christman. Aren’t they pretty?!